Suicide rate after the 1991–1995 War in Southwestern Croatia

Abstract

Background The paper analyzed the impact of war, the most pernicious of social evils, taking into consideration intensity of change in rate of suicide in the southwestern region of Croatia during the war and including three distinctly specific intervals, two peacetime—one pre-war (1986–1990) and one post-war (1996–2000) as well as the period of the war itself (1991–1995). Methods From 853 cases of suicide committed during the period under review, age and gender of suicide victims, level of alcohol intoxication at suicide, means used in committing suicide, and suicide rate in years under review were analyzed. Quantitative characteristics of suicides were compared with other types of violent deaths, e.g., homicides and accidents. Frequencies of different features are shown graphically. Statistica 4.0 for Windows 98 was used in data processing. Results Of a total of 2,925 violent deaths in the period under review (1986–2000), 29.16% or 853 suicides (29.1%) were recorded. A total of 513 suicides were committed in the peace-time period—262 prior to the war (1986–1990) and 251 after the war (1996–2000)—while 340 suicides were recorded during the war (1991–1995). Means of committing suicide also changed drastically during the war, when 64 cases of firearm use were recorded compared with 18 cases during the pre-war interval and 36 cases in the post-war interval. Conclusions Three parameters, namely, suicide rate, use of firearms, and intoxication, suffered the greatest changes in the war compared with the pre- and post-war period in the region under review.